Photographic camera.



C. BORNMANN & E. C. CLARK.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

APPLICATlON FILED BIC-(7,1915.

1 1 97,90 1 Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' fwd/Mi 1 2014 1 91 l zwz C. BORNMANN & E. C. CLARK.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

APPLICATION mm 0:0.11. 1915.

Patvnted Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CARL BORNMANN AND EZRA C. CLARK, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK. ASSIGNORS TO ANSCO COMPANY, OF BINGHAMTON, NEWV YORK. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PHOTOGRAPIIIC CAMERA.

Application filed December 17. 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL BORNMANN and EZRA C. CLARK, both citizens of the United States, and both residents of the city of liinghamton, county of Broome, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Cameras, of which the following is a speciiiijiation. i

it is the purpose of our invention to provide a camera, which shall embody the fol lowing features. among others: (a). tihere is provided a suitable motor, with co-acting mechanism, whereby the film is made to an tomatically, successively and intermittently move in the field of the camera on the focal plane, in proper position for exposure, and then move away therefrom and be wound up on the take-up spool. Suitable releasing and locking devices for the motor and its coacting mechanism are provided, whereby it is possible to expose successive sections of film with extreme rapidity, with assurance that the pictures produced thereon will be properly located, and without moving the camera. (0). There is no observation of the transit of the film from the stock spool to the take-up spool. As a re sult, no black paper, with the usual Iililll\'- ings, is necessary except at the eXtremeends of the film to protect it against the action of light when outside of the camera.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a camera embodying the invention, showing the train of gears which actuate the film and other cooperating parts, the side plate of the camera, which normally covers these gears, being removed; F i is a vertical sectional view on the line 11 of Fig. 1, the parts pertaining more particularly to this invention being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the back or inside surface of the base plate which supports the train of gears, showing also the releasing and locking lever; Fig. 5 is a detail of the cam wheel and stop which co-acting with the releasing and locking lever control the spring motor and consequently the movement of the train of gears. The stated parts are shown in section; Fig. (i is a detail of one of the releasing levers; Fig. 7 is an elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Serial No. 67,314.

of the pawl-carrying plate and ratchet whereby the rotation oi the spindle of the winding spool is eil'ected.

In the drawings 1 represents the body of an ordinary folding camera, 2 the carrying strap or handle, 3 the removable back, i the bellows. 5 the usual drop front, (3 the stock spool, 7 the take-up spool, 8, 8, the spool centers. I

U (see best Fig. 3) is a shaft provided at one end on the outside of the camera with a winding key 10. ll is a ratchet, with which engages a pawl ll; see Fig. 3). The pawl has the usual spring 12. Fast on the other end of the sha it i) is a sleeve 14, a part of which acts as a journal for that end of the shaft, being supported in the base plate 15, which supports the train of gears about to be described. This base plate is preferably housed within a suitable recess made in the side of the camera. On the sleeve 14 is a flange 16, to which is fastened one end of a spiral spring 17, the other end of which is fastened to a flange 18 on a sleeve 19, which turns loosely upon the shaft 9.

"20 a spiral spring smaller than and in side of the spring 17. At one end "21, it is fast to the shaft 9, and at its other end 22, it is fast to the flange 18 on the loose sleeve 19.

23 is the main driving gear of the mechanism. It is fast upon the outer end of the sleeve 14.

The devices just described constitute the spring motor and co-acting parts of the apparatus and the purpose of inclosing one spiral spring within the other is to aiiord greater length of spring and hence more uniformity in its tension, at the same time reducing the longitudinal space required.

The main driving gear 23 meshes into a small gear 24, which lies beneath and is integ al with a larger gear 25. The gears 24 and 35 rotate upon an axis 26 and the gear 25 meshes with a gear 27 (see Fig. 2), which is attached to a thin plate 28, carrying a pair of pawls 29, which engage with a ratchet. 30, which ratchet is splined to the spindle. oi the center 8 preferably by the ordinary feather and groove, so as to rotate with the spindze, whereas the gear 27, plate 28 and pawls 29 are loose upon the spindle and are adapted to rotate thereon. The

spindle ol the center 8 is supported by and rotates in :1 boss 31. which. as shown. is integral with. or torms part of the plate 15, and it is provided with a knurled bead 3:2 on the outside of the camera, whereby it may be easily turned. It will be particularly noticed that the pawls '1.) will permit rotation oi" the winding spool in one dire tion. when the train oi gears is loelted. as herein al'ter dtseribed. and when the train oi gearis actuated by the motor in the opposite 1li-- re tion. these bawls. engaging with the ratchet ltl. will likewise cause rotation of the whaling spool.

The gear 25 (see Fig. 1) also inte meshes with :1 gear Z3 1. which rotates upon an axis This gear we call the controller. It is provided on its rear side with a cam groove 25 in which worlts a stop pin lit). which torms part ot a lever 37. which is pivoted at any suitable point. as. for example. upon the axis ol the grar ".23. This lever 7 is provided with a spring 3*. which is fastened at one end. as at 231), to auv lixed part of the apparatus. The funetion ot the spring :is is to nor-mall). thrust the lever to the le'tt. as shown in Fig. 1. thus. when the train ol gears has been releasedby pressing the lever to the right. so that the stop 36 is disengaged from the shoulder 40 located in the cam groove 215. then. upon the con1- pletion of a single revolution of the controller gear. the stop 2h} will again come opposite the recess or shouldert the lever. being pushed by the spring 38, will be swung to the left and the stop 36 again engaging under the shoulder it). thus, locking the motor and bringing the mechanism to a standstill. Upon this controller gear is a. suitable indication 41. shown as X in the present instance. the purpose ot which is to indicate to the operator when the motor has stopped at the proper position. which is observable through a small opening in an exterior t'ol' plate t2. see Fig. 2. which ineloses the train ot gears. thus protecting it from-injury and excluding dust and dirt.

The details of the controller lever 37. with its stop 31;. are best shown in Figs. 4, 5, and (3. where it is seen pivoted upon the axis 24 of the gear 25 and as supported and guided by the axis 34of the controller gear 33, which works through the slot 43 made in the lever, and also by the axis 44 of a governor shown in this case as an ordinary es-.

eapemcnt regulating device. lhe axis 44 works through a slot 45 made in the lever. The escapement device is shown at 46, see Fig. 1. and is provided with the usual v1- brator 47, which may beneficially be pivoted upon the screw, or other device 39, which supports the end of the sprlng 38. Upon the lever 37 is pivoted a spring actuating pawl 48, which engages in detents 49,-nmde in the periphery of an indicator wheel 50,

each movement of the controller lever to the right. the pawl to engagis suecessively in the detents l) on the litl'lPlttl) ot' the indieator wheel Isl. and sets it o\er one number for each oscillation of the lever. and it will he held against return movement by the 1 holding pawl 41*. which engages in the deteuts ii In order that the indicator wheel mav be brought around to ()0. or otherwise adjusted. it occasion shall require. the face of the indicator wheel upon which the stated designations are produced. is cut awav at the center. as shown in Fig. l. and a series of pins are set in the wheel. whereby the operator may conveniently rotate the indit'ator wheel. turning always to the right. to bring it to tltl. or other desired designation, and sinee there is no eouueetion between this indicator wheel and the train of gears. or rcleasing lever, except the. pawl to. obviously there will be no disturlmnee ot' the gears or ol the lilm. since. a stated. the indicator wheel will always be turned to the right.

The actuating lever may be tripped in any preferred manner. One is a press Litton. or equivalent device T13. which, as shown bes in Fig.2. projects inwardly on the interior of the camera. readily accessible to the thumb or finger of the operator. pressure upon which will press x1e aetuating lever to the right against the stress of its spring ZEN. 'e sometimes supplemeut this press button with a penumatic or mechanically operating device, indicated at 5!. many of which are now well known, so that speeitie description is not necessary. Sui-h a detiee will be preferred in some instances. since, if used. the lever can be tripped. while the operator stands at some distance from the camera. and also there is ordinarily less liability of moving or shaking the camera. In some instances. moreover. we prefer to use such a mechanical or pneumatic lever tripping device ill0llt.-,\\'itllout any press button. or equivalent.

In order that the designation X on the controller or cam gear and also the oesiglur- \Yc show two methods.

tions on the indicator wheel may both be observed from the exterior of the camera, and also that access may he had to the pins 52 on the indicator wheel for adjustment thereof, we provide the exterior cover plate 42 with openings (see Fig. 2) 58, through which the designation X may be observed. through which the designations on the index wheel may be observed. and 56 through which access may be had to the pins 52.

The cover plate 12. which int-loses and protects the train of gears and coat-ting parts, against injury, and also exclutes dust, dirt, etc, may be of any preferred material. ordinarily. a thin metallic plate, which may be finished in any preferred manner, but in someinstances it will be desirable to make it of transparent material, as, for instance, a plate of glass, orpreferably celluloid, which not only exposes the train ofgears to view which being handsomely finished, s attractive in appearaneq'but also enab-lespartial observation, at least, ofthe mechanism for 'the detection of troubles, should they arise;

The operation is as fo ll ows.:' Assume that then by proper manipulation of the knurled head 32 of the right hand center 8 of the winding-spool, the train of gears may be so rotated that the designation X will be brought opposite its observation opening 58, and when in that position thestop 3(3 of the locking lever 37 will be in contact with the shoulder 40 in the cam groove'in the controller-gear33 and the train of'gears will be locked. Thereupon, the operator" removes the back of the camera in the usual way, inserts-a loaded stock-supply spool by the usual manipulationiot thespool centers,

-etc.,' leads the black paper and film, or the leading strip, if no black. paper be used,

from thesup'ply spool across the-toealplane and engages .it-in-tlle usual manner with the take-up spool. T hereupon, the take-up spool is turned, the backofrthe'camera being still 1 off, in the direction permitted by the ratchet and-pawls 29 until asuitable max-lo or desigr nation upon the edgeof the black paper, or

of the leading stri p, or of the film, as the case may be, coincides with the mark or? marks upon the camera. which maybe located in any suitable place, but which we show in Fig-1', at 57, It will be noted that .the winding of the free end ,of-the black paper, leading strip, or the like, upon the take-up spool, is-anentirely separate and distinct opciation'ifrom the turning ofithe spool-by-thc motor and is. merely for the purpose of properly adjusting the film \\1Cll in the camera- .preparatory to the subsequent automatic and: vsuccessive advanceinents thereof by the motor and its, gear mechanism described. Thereupon, the hack of the-camera-is out in place andthe motor spring of the train of gears is gwoundup by appropriate turning of the key 1 0. For the best operation of the apparatus it is wise, as far as may be, to maintain the motor spring always-near the top of its. stress. lhereupon the trippingdevice of the, COI1- made by appropriate repetitions troller lever, either the press button, or the mechanical or pneumatic tripping device, is-

manipulated,,.whereupon the motor will start the gears in motion, during whichrthe stop 36 upon the controller lever 37 will travel through the cam groove 35 of the controller wheel 33 until that wheel hasvmadea complete revolu'tion,;then the stop 36- will-. come opposite the shoulder 40 in thecam} groove, the spring-38 ofthe controller lever:

will swing, it andthe stop 361:0 the. left, thelatter passing beneath the shoulder 40,

whereupon the motor will 'be controlled and A the train of gears come to astop, andjduring this movement of the train of gears, t he winding spool will be caused to rotateto paper, or'leading strip, or. film, equal 'to an .sueh degree that an amount of the'black exposure length, will. have been wound thcreon and also the designation "DO-upon the indicator wheel, owing to the rotation'of that wheel, caused by the engagement of the;

pawl 48, which is earried'by theeontroller.

lever 37. in the detents 49upon its periphery,

will have passed from view and the-.designar tion 0 will appear at the.observationopening Th'erc'upon the locking lever; willbej again tripped. 1n the manner, before *de scribed, the motorwill be agaiirreleased,theI

train of gears, will" again'a t-uate. the'windi" mg spoolJand thesecond lengthi or'secuonof the black paper,leading-strip; or film; as f" the (use may be, will bei-advaneed,and thej designation, 0 having. awa from the observation window) 55, thedesignation 1 V 1 6 will "appearthereat', and this indicates that a section of the film .isi-in' proper "position in i I .the-focal plane for-inaking the first. exposure; I;

- It will behotc'd thatithe designationsupon" i the black paper, or upon the leading: strip,

or --upon, the film,- as'therase. may-be; which" are made ,to coincide j with the markings 57 upon the camera, as heretofore,explained, will of course bear such relation-to thefirst exposnrelength of tbeserrsiti zed-fibh as that the results 'above referredfito will be ac} complished. Thereu-pon','thesubject having been duly found in the finder of the camera,

the lens shutter will .bereleased and-thefirst exposure made in the usual manner.- Following this SUCCQSSIV sect onsof sensitive film will be brought-into the "focal plane forsubsequent exposures and the exposures cedures above described.

It will be particularly noted that our inat the provention enables a. series of exposures to be" made in very rapid succession without mow I ing the camera, if desired. and that during this procedure, the (ll-)Qlilifll has nothingto for the shutter and the locking lever and may keep his eves upon the subject or sad jects, as'shown in the fill-(l(l' f(il' otherwise: also that any desired number of-eaposures "do except manipulate the releasing devices maybe made at any one time, the unexposed portion of the film remaining in the camera protected from light and ready for subsequent use as occasion may require.

As intimated above, we prefer that the tension of the motor spring should be-maintained at or near'the top ofits stress, so as to be sure that the train of gears will operate vigorously and effectively if it shall become desirable to, take pictures in rapid succession.

It will also be noted that we secure, in addition to the above, a series of other advantages: After each exposure the camera may be instantly put in readiness for the exposure next to followbya simple release of the motor and gears; also since the film is never exposed to light and there are no finally the mechanism is so compact and adapted to be set into one of'the side plates of the camera, that it will very little, if at all, increase the present size thereof. This is an important feature because it is extremely desirable to maintain the dimensions of cameras, particularly "the folding variety, as small as possible, andthis result we further secure because, as will be noted more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the entire motor mechanism is offset to one side relative to the transverse axis of the camera and utilizes otherwise unused space.

It will be obvious to those who are familiar with this art that the mechanism above described and illustrated is one form only in which the invention may be embodied and that other mechanism, differing iii details, may embody the invention, and we therefore do not limit ourselves in these respects.

o claim:

1. A film r'oll camera having a motor located entirely within the camerabox and which positively drives the take-up spool in one direction, means to start and stop the motor at predetermined times and an indicator observable from the exterior of the camera, whereby the operator may determine whether the partsare in proper posi--,

tion for making an exposure.

2. A- film roll camera having a motor which positively drives the take-up spool in one direction, means to start and stop the motor at predetermined. times, an indicator observable from the exterior of the camera, whereby the operator may determinewhetherthe parts are in proper position for making an exposure, and another Indicator which shows the number of exposures made and the one next to be made.

3. A film roll camera having a motor which positively drives the take-up spool in one direction, a governor to regulate the action of themotor. an automatically actuated indicator which shows the number of exposures made and the one next to be madehand another indicator whereby the opcr tor oaydetcl'inine whether the parts are in proper position for making an exposure.

4. In a film roll camera. a spring-actu-' -atcdm-oto1 connecting with a train of gears let into the side of the camera box,

whereby the take-up spool is rotated in one direction,an automatically operated indicator actuated by the train of gears to show the position oi the parts, a governor to regulate the action of the motor, and an in dicator which shows. the number of expo sures made and the one next to be made, all actuated and performing their several functions at one and the same time.

5. In a film roll camera, a spring actuated motor located entirely within the box of the camera and connecting with a tyain of gears, whereby the take-up spool is rotated in one direction, an automaticallyoperated indicator actuated by the train of gears to show the position of the-parts, av

governor to regulate the action of the motor, an indicator which shows the number of exposures made and the one next to be made all actuated at one and the same time, and means to release and to'automatically lock the motor and stop the mechanism at predetermined times.

6. In a film roll camera, a motor for automatically actuating the take-up spool comprising spiral springs, one within the other, and located entirely within and extending from side to side across the camera box, and means whereby the springs when under stress will rotate'the main shaft of.

the motor in one direction.

7. In a film roll camera, a motor for automatically actuating the take-up spool comprising spiral springs, one within the other, and located entirely within and extending from side to side across the camera box, means whereby the spring when under stress will rotate the main shaft of the motor in one direction, and means to release the motor and to lock and stop the same and the mechanism driven by it at predetermined times.

8. In a film roll camera a train of gearing supported upon a plate let into the side of the camera, a motor located entirely within the walls of the camera and engaging with said train of gearing, whereby at predetermined times the gearing is automatically operated by the motor, and indices automatically actuated by the gearing, whereby the position of the parts and the number of the exposures are both shown.

9. In a film roll camera a train of gearing supported upon a plate let into the side of the camera, a motor located entirely within the walls of the camera and engaging ith said train of gearing. whereby. at predetermined times the gearing is automatically operated by the motor, indices automaticaily actuated by the gearing, whereby the position of the parts and the number of the exposures are both shown, and a governor to control the action of the motor.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

CARL BORNMANN. EZRA (1. CLARK. 

